Shades of Blue
by reswalyn
Summary: One year in a dangerous competition, risking her life and almost losing her sister, and all her parents had said: "You could've done better." She wanted to be free and young and reckless just like them. Bleur. IN-HIATUS. TRYING TO RE-WRITE.
1. Chapter 1

She didn't want to go to Hogwarts. She never cared about that stupid tournament.

" _But it's a great honour."_ everybody said. Her mother insisted. She wanted to make them proud. She went to England. It wasn't like the Goblet will chose her. She saw the whole situation as a nice getaway, a new place to discover. But that stupid Goblet chose her and her life has been changed.

One year in a dangerous competition, risking her life and almost losing her sister, and all her parents had said: " _You could've done better."_

She wanted everything to be over. Fini. She wanted to escape more than everything, running to a place where the voice her mother couldn't be heard.

She remembered the twins with red hair and mischievous sparkly blue eyes and their pranks. She was jealous. She wanted to be free and young and reckless just like them.

That morning, when she saw in the journal that Gringotts, the most known bank was looking for a part-time French translator in the International Relationships department, she didn't think twice. She understood and wrote English better than she spoke it.

She packed her suitcase.

 _Maman et papa_ were invited at a party in Paris.

Was she selfish? Yes. But after almost 18 years of pleasing others, she wanted to do something for herself.

She earned some money from the modelling jobs she did for different magazines, because every single one of them wanted an interview or an editorial with one of the four champions of the Triwizard Tournament.

She booked a room at the Leaky Cauldron, for two weeks.

" _I'll find a small flat_."

She was standing in the enormous room, looking hopeless at the counters, when a man approached her. She wasn't technically a client nor a magical creature, although she was a quarter Veela.

She had fought a dragon, finding the right desk or the right gobblin should be a piece of cake.

"Excuse me, may I help you?" she jumped. The man in front of her was handsome. He was tall, with sparkly blue eyes and his auburn hair was tied in a messy ponytail. She could spot a fang-silver-earring in his right earlobe.

"Oui, je suis…" she said, but once she realized she was speaking in French she stopped. Her cheeks became a bright shade of pink. " _I'm in England, I must speak English_." she kept repeating to her self.

"You must be our new French translator, mademoiselle Delacour. Am I right?"

She nodded.

"Welcome to Gringotts, I'm William Weasley, please follow me!" He smiled kindly.

In that moment, Fleur Delacour stopped thinking about dark wizards, Cedric Diggory's death and awful parents with high expectations.

She was impatient to start the new part of her journey.

 **A/N: Starting another fanfic because nothing can stop me.**


	2. Chapter 2

He looked oddly familiar with that red hair and freckles and those ravishing blue eyes, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him. He wore a white dress shirt with three buttons opened and no tie. The sleeves were rolled up revealing his strong tanned arms. Several keys of different sizes were hung by one belt loop of his well-fitting black trousers.

She followed him in one of the offices in the back. She sat in one of the armchairs as he started looking for some papers. Fleur liked how comfortable they were, a sign that the goblins cared about their clients, although she wasn't technically a client.

"I have to ask you some questions for the papers, some of them are slightly personal, is that ok?" He asked.

"Of course." She was afraid that she would lose her voice if she tried to speak more than two words in front of him.

"I assume that you graduated from Beauxbatons Academy, right?"

She nodded. "What is your relationship status?"

" _Excusez-moi, monsieur Weasley_ , but why is this necessary?" She blushed a little.

"They use to send people to work in different parts of the world and married people usually don't like to take the jobs. Of course, your job _is_ for our London office, but, for example, I worked as a cursebreaker in Egypt for seven years. So?"

" _Je suis_ … I mean, I'm single."

A little smile appeared on his lips but she didn't saw it being busy with the hem of her skirt. He knew these questions were dumb and clearly unnecessary, but the goblins were control freaks and they wanted to know everything.

"Pureblood?" he continued.

" _Non._ I mean, yes, my family is old and prestigious, but I'm quarter-Veela." she whispered.

Bill looked at the blonde witch. She wasn't really tall nor short. Her hair was long, the loose curls reaching the small of her back. She was beautiful with her fair skin and full rosy lips and hiding an untamed fire behind her dark blue eyes. She was wearing a pastel pink blouse and a grey pencil skirt, clearly not trying to hide her sensual figure. He could totally see the effects of her ancestry.

She tried to avoid his sustained gaze. Fleur started to feel like she was melting right in front of him. She needed to compose herself. She was starting to act like a shy schoolgirl, which wasn't acceptable. Last year boys were dumbstruck in the moment she entered the room, but Bill Weasley wasn't some hormonal teenager from Hogwarts. He was a man.

"I will need you to sign these and read about our security procedures, miss Delacour, and I think you need to complete your address at the bottom of the page". Bill said and handed her the papers.

"Monsieur Weasley, I don't have a permanent address here yet. I'm currently staying at the Leaky Cauldron until I find a place." she confessed. It was silly, but she had to be honest.

"I see. Well, we could always fill that later. Now let me give you a tour." he smiled.

The Gringotts Bank was absolutely enormous and the architecture was unique and very beautiful with a quite resemblance to the French palaces.

He gave her a complete tour and a history lesson.

"The goblins are cute when they're mad, they remind me of my brothers when they were little." he joked.

"Do you have a big family, _monsieur Weasley_?"

"Five brothers and one sister." he responded.

That's when she realized why William Weasley was so familiar.

"Fred et George, Ronald et Ginevra, right? I don't think I met the others. Now that I'm thinking I remember seeing you after the selection ceremony of the Triwizard Tournament. You'd been there with your mother as family for 'Arry Potter."

He nodded.

He had recognized her from the second she had walked through the bank doors. He had been very surprised two days ago when Ragnok showed him Fleur's letter.

" _Why was a young woman from an old and prestigious family from France looking for a part-time job at Gringotts?"_

They both knew what happened at the tournament, it wasn't a great subject for small talk.

They walked in silence for awhile, the sound made by her shoes hitting the floor being the only noise in the empty massive corridors.

"I'm sorry if my brothers pulled out a prank on you or something like that, they can't stay out of trouble."

"Oh, _non,non,_ I really enjoyed their company, like everybody else at Hogwarts."

They entered another room. It was smaller than others, but not too small. There were five desks, two of them empty. She looked around the room, studying it and trying to memorise every detail.

"This is a part of our International Relationships Department. One is yours starting tomorrow."

He leaned on the corner of the nearest desk. Bill looked right into her eyes, different shades of blue meeting.

"As you may know, there have been rumours since the tournament. Some people believe them and others don't. I choose to believe them. Our community is scared and everything is becoming chaotic. The bank loses its employees. Everybody is coming to check their vaults because they want to hide or start a new life somewhere else. Last week, three of my co-workers accepted jobs in Egypt, Bulgaria and Japan. I know, you are interested in the French translator job, but sometimes we will need your help in matters that aren't exactly in your job description. Of course, you will be paid more for that. I just want to ask you if you really want to do this because I'm afraid things will be getting worse and France was safer."

"Monsieur Weasley, believe me, I'm not scared. I want to work here and if I'll have to fight in the future against Death Eaters or even against the Dark Lord I will do it. But to go back in France and hide while England is in this _très delicate_ situation? No, I can't do that." Fleur said, fire burning in her eyes.

"Alright. It looks like we have a deal. He said not trying to hide his smirk. "See you tomorrow, miss Delacour. You can sit in the office, getting accommodated with it, but I have to get back to work. You can discuss your working hours with Ragnok tomorrow. Today you should rest or maybe take a walk, discovering Diagon Alley and Wizarding London."

She nodded.

He stopped in the doorway, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"One last thing, miss Delacour. Please, call me Bill."

* * *

 **A/N: When I read fanfic it's a little harder when Fleur is speaking with the accent, and I discoverd that it's harder to write. Let's just pretend she is speaking with the french accent all the time even though I don't write it.**


	3. Chapter 3

Of course, he had to be Bill Weasley. She recognised him, but the chances were almost impossibile to meet him at Gringotts.

She remembered how they're stealing glimpses of each other during the Tournament. Was it all in her head? _Definitely_.

He was hotter than last year.

Everyday he was becoming even more attractive.

" _It isn't fair. It's absolutely cruel to have that perfect face and that great personality. He can't be real."_

It has been a week and a half since she'd left France and got the job at Gringotts.

" _A week and a half... and I still can't find an apartment."_

Fleur stepped into the shower, her body flinching when her toes touched the cold ceramic floor. The sensation of the steamy water on her skin calmed her, but couldn't take her mind off the sensation of emptiness in her heart.

She poured some shower cream in her palm, gently massaging her body.

Her job wasn't hard, mostly papers about transfers or letters from french businessmen, but Bill was right.

Last week she worked more at the front desk than in her department. She didn't mind at all, except the fact that she was still a stranger and the only co-worker she talked to on a daily basis was Bill.

She was supposed to work six hours a day, Monday to Friday, but there were some days when she would find herself spending eight or ten hours just because she didn't have anything else to do or anywhere else to be.

She sighed when she reminded herself she still had to find a place. In the last few days she visited five apartments with no success. Some of them were too old and others _trés_ expensive, two being in Muggle London. She wasn't afraid of muggles, but she had to be more careful if she wanted to live there. To be seen by someone performing magic was a risk that she wasn't really willing to take. She knew the difference between reckless and dumb.

Stepping out of the shower she wrapped a towel around herself, the steam still floating through the small bathroom as she ran a hand over the foggy mirror.

Fleur took a look at her own reflection, but staring back at her wasn't a silly teenage girl dressed in pale blue robes. In the small bathroom was standing a strong young woman, who maybe had lost her innocence too soon in a world controlled by unknown and powerful forces.

She didn't plan to give up. She wanted to write her own story and nothing would stop her.

A smile appeared on her lips as Fleur was turning around to enter the small room she had lived in for the past week.

She liked the Leaky Cauldron. The owner was nice, the other clients friendly enough and the food was great, but she still needed a place to call home.

On the little table in the corner of the room was a pile of letters. Two of them weren't there when she got in the shower.

At least the Howlers stopped three days ago. But the situation wasn't getting any better. After realizing that the Howlers didn't have any effect, Apolline Delacour started to send normal letters to her daughter, begging her to return home.

Mr. Delacour was disappointed, but in his own letter, her father confessed that she was old enough to take her own decisions:

" _Fleur, no matter what you are my daughter. I don't fully understand your decision, but it's the time for you to discover the world through your own eyes. Don't worry about your mother, she will come around sooner or later. Take care of yourself. I know you are a brilliant witch and I believe that you will find your path. If you need anything, don't hesitate to send me an owl."_

That was totally unexpected, but she was grateful for her father's support. The other letter was from her little sister, Gabrielle.

" _The house feels empty without you, Fleur, but I know that you couldn't resist here, after our last year in England._ _Maman is really upset and she can't understand what she did wrong, but I don't want to be the one who tells her why you actually left. Her expectations are really high, but I think papa is realizing that he will lose us both if he continues to share her beliefs. Unfortunately, maman doesn't want to hear anything._ _Monsieur Philippe asked about you yesterday, mother said that you are visiting a friend in Scotland to recover after the shock of the tournament._ _Maman wants the best for us, or what she thinks it's the best._ _I know you want to help, but don't get yourself involved with things you can't control._ _Please, keep me updated. Je t'aime, Gabrielle."_

" _Oh, my sweet little Gabrielle."_

She looked at the clock. She didn't have time to write a letter to her sister, but she surely would write it tonight.

The rain was pouring outside. She didn't mind. The Delacour mansion was in a part of France with lots of rainy summer mornings and warm evenings.

She pulled from the closet a pair of dark jeans and a white sweater. She realized that the goblins didn't mind what she was wearing, but she still wanted to look presentable. She pulled her hair in ponytail and applied red lipstick and mascara.

* * *

Bill started to have a very unhealthy habit: keeping Fleur always in his eyesight, and stealing glances at her every time she was distracted. It wasn't hard when she worked across from him in the main room, at the front counter. She was clearly much younger than him.

" _She's about the same age as Fred and George. Fleur could be their girlfriend or Percy's_."

Over the weekend, Fred and George told Bill about the little crush Ron had on the French witch last year, but Bill didn't mention that the same blonde witch was his co-worker.

He remembered her in the competition, how determined she was, how willing to take risks, how much she wanted to keep her sister safe. He knew she was more than just a pretty face.

He wanted to ask her out, not on a date, because perhaps it would be weird, but as friends or co-workers. If things remained the same, at the end of August, they would be the last two wizards working at Gringotts London.

His mother knew something was bothering him, but Bill blamed on the extra work from the last month. He didn't technically lie, but he couldn't tell Molly: " _You know, mum, I have this crush on a eighteen years old quarter Veela witch. Now, let's just pretend I'm not really twenty-four."_

She was busy talking to one of the goblins, so he could admire her appearance. She was stunning, even in that oversized sweater and high-waisted dark jeans. The black leather jacket gave her a dangerous vibe.

Bill was sure she would look great in everything without even trying.

He couldn't take his eyes off her bright red lips. He started to imagine how perfect would be to have the chance to kiss those lips and how great would the soft lips feel kissing his jawline and his neck, leaving smudges of red lipstick behind.

He groaned, running his hand through his auburn hair, when someone near him spoke.

"Rough day, Bill?" He almost jumped, trying to hide his embarrassment of being caught staring.

"Samantha, hi! You look amazing! How are you?" He said recognizing the witch in front of him.

Bill was surprised by how much she had changed. Samantha was still petite. Her chestnut hair was shorter, but her green eyes were fully alive. She was literally glowing.

"I'm great, thank you! I'm here to take out some money from John's vault."

"Are you leaving England?" asked Bill, already used to the scenario.

"Merlin, absolutely not. We're just moving somewhere else, a place more suitable for a family. Why are you asking if we're leaving?"

"Many wizards plan to do it if the rumors are true. Some of them quit their jobs. Jim and Emma are coming back from Egypt to work her. They want to be closer to their families, but there are many people willing to take jobs abroad."

"Cowards... Samantha said. You know, Bill, I really miss working in the office…

"Sam, you're pregnant, we clearly don't expect you to work. You have to focus on your family right now. My mother taught me that no matter what your family and loved ones come first." Bill interrupted her.

"You're right, Bill, but believe me, working here was easier than facing married life. I love John, but being pregnant and trying to find a new place it's terrifying. I assume that you don't know someone who wants to rent a flat, do you?" She said, signing through the papers Bill handed her.

"Let's go to your vault and then I can help you with that too." Bill smiled, looking one last time in Fleur's direction before taking Samantha to the vault.

Bill was coming in her direction with a petite pretty woman,wearing a large floral dress and long black cardigan. Fleur frowned. The witch was pregnant.

" _Maybe she is Bill's fiancee or his wife?"_ Fleur could feel a strange sensation in her heart.

" _Non, non, I don't have any right to be jealous."_ she reminded herself.

"Samantha, this is Fleur, and I think she is exactly what you're looking for." Bill said, seeming for an unknown reason really happy.

"Good afternoon, _madame_ Samantha, how can I help you?" Fleur asked noticing the two rings on Samantha's left hand.

"Darling, I think I can help you." the witch said with a warm look in her eyes.

" _Excusez-moi,_ but I don't understand." Fleur confessed.

Bill giggled. His laugh was truly beautiful, reminding her of the sound of the little wind bells on her balcony.

"I told Sammy that you're looking for a flat and since she moved in with her husband, John, her flat is empty." Bill explained.

Fleur blushed at the silly thought she had about Bill being married to Samantha.

"My apartment is near Flourish and Blotts, if you want to take a look, we can go right now." Samantha said.

"Well, I'm not sure if I can right now, my lunch break is in fifteen minutes." Fleur hesitated.

"Fleur, you should go, I can handle all by myself and you worked extra hours this week. It's ok, really." Bill assured her.

* * *

"What do you think? I know it's small and a bit old, I'd redecorated it almost ten years ago, but the walls had been repainted at the beginning of this summer ." Samantha said as Fleur was studying the flat.

" _Mais oui, c'est parfait, madame Samantha._ I really like it."

She actually loved it. She loved the way the sunlight hit through the windows. She loved the view she had over Diagon Alley and the fact that it wasn't far from the bank. The place had the potential to become her new home. She could already see herself reading in the evening on the dark grey couch, covered with her favourite blanket and filling the bookcase with all her beloved titles.

"I'm a muggle-born witch, so this flat has some muggle... elements, but if you don't like it, I can remove them, Samantha said pointing to the open kitchen where Fleur could see a fridge, a toaster and a microwave.

"Oh, _non_ , I actually know how to use them. Beauxbatons has a really good course of Muggle Studies. To be honest, some of the muggles' creations are pretty impressive."

Bill was leaving when Fleur returned to the bank. Bill spotted the blonde witch in the crowd and he couldn't control his smile.

He blocked her way on the stairs of the bank. He was even taller than her, sitting on different stairsteps.

"Monsieur, can you please move out of the way?" she said, not looking in his direction.

"No." Bill answered.

"No? she said, clearly annoyed. I really think that you should…, she stopped when her eyes focused on the wizard's face. "Oh, Bill, I'm sorry. I'm in a hurry and I…" she said looking at the doors over his shoulder.

"You don't have to worry about that." he reassured her.

She bit her lips. He couldn't focus on anything else.

"I was just leaving to grab something to eat, would you like to join me? I assume you didn't have time to eat, being busy with Sam... It's just a lunch between colleagues, I don't mean anything else, you know…" he hesitated, rubbing his neck.

Fleur laughed. It was the most beautiful thing Bill heard in the past month.

"It'd be lovely." she said, looking straight into his eyes.

"Really?" he asked, unsure, his eyes shining brighter than the sun.

* * *

 _ **A/N: It's sort of a filler chapter becase I've lost my inspiration on my way. I'm sorry about that. I hope the next will be better.**_ _ **xx**_


	4. Chapter 4

When she was looking at the man on the other side of the table, Fleur felt something different. He was like an old friend — she felt good in his company like they have known each other for ages — yet he was a stranger.

Before her year at Hogwarts, Fleur had a bad impression about the british wizards: dull, cold, boring, too serious.

William Weasley proved her wrong.

In the dim light of the café, he looked _exactly_ like the men every mother warned their daughters about: mysterious, handsome, dangerous and not so… innocent. She was hypnotized by his blue eyes, and his devilicious smirk.

"How's life in France?" Bill asked, playing with one of the silver rings in his ear.

"What would you like to know?" Fleur said, taking a sip from her lemonade.

"Everything, the weather, the wizards, the landscape, your years at Beauxbatons, your childhood… stuff like that." he responded without taking his eyes off of the blonde young woman.

"Well, France is a nice and really big country. There cold regions, like the Alpes Mountains, where Beauxbatons is located and warmer regions such as Cote d'Azur. The old french wizards are kind of snobbish, they love elegance and grace and to respect the etiquette. In comparison with muggles or even younger generations, they seem trapped somewhere in the 1850-1900s." she laughed.

"Every wizarding community is trapped in time, living in the past, it's not just the French. Some of them still freak out when they see a muggle or a fridge. My dad loves muggles, he has an obsession about all their inventions. It's his hobby."

"That's nice. How about your mother?" Fleur asked, curiously.

"My mom's hobby or I'd say job is to keep us out of trouble." he chuckled. Fleur raised an eyebrow.

"We're troublemakers, me and my brothers. With me and Charlie was kind of okay, we didn't cause much trouble, maybe just a prank, sneaking out of the castle twice a month and being caught with girls in broom closets. We broke our arms playing quidditch, Charlie was the seeker and captain of team, he could've played in a professional team, but his love for dragons was bigger. Percy is the dream of every parent. He was Head Boy and Prefect, very clever, a little bookworm, nothing dangerous about him. But the twins, Fred and George, you did meet them, right? They're really powerful and their magic is brilliant, but the things they focus on is the real problem. They don't like the school related stuff and mum receives a letter from school every week about their pranks and unacceptable behaviour." His voice was soft, Fleur could feel his love through his words. This was another side of Bill Weasley.

"I really loved their company. Other girls from Beauxbatons called them immature and didn't like them so much, but they had this attitude with most of the people. Although, after the Ceremony, the girls relaxed and really had fun. They didn't have to be worried about the competition, but the twins really helped me. Without them, my sanity would have been lost. In the cold castle, their jokes and laughs made everything warmer. Their resourcefulness is really remarkable and what I really appreciated was the fact that they didn't try to impress us like other boys did. They're themselves. What about Ron and Ginevra?" Fleur said.

"When Ron was little, he was quiet. He loved to play chess with us rather than being involved in the twins' plans. But in the first year, he became best friends with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. If there is trouble in the castle, either is caused by the twins or the trio. My mom was really happy when she found out she was pregnant with Ginny, but Ginny is growing up to be more like me and Charlie than a proper young lady." He chuckled.

She remembered Ginny and how temperamental she could be. Even though she was only fourteen she was really fierce, an untamed lion. Hermione Granger was a beautiful girl and a brilliant witch, "the brightest witch of her age". Krum used to talk a lot about her.

"What about yours?" Bill asked. "I told you about my family, now is your turn."

"I have little sister, Gabrielle. She's a good girl, very graceful and smart. She dreams of becoming a healer or to work with magical creatures. She was a little terrified by what happened last year, but I hope she'll recover."

"And your parents?" Bill asked, looking straight into her eyes. He really wanted to know what pushed her to this job.

"My parents have… really high expectations.", she hesitated looking at her hands. " We have different opinions about what should I do."

Bill smirked.

"And you like to be a little rebellious, don't you? You want to see the world through your own eyes, to experience different things, but why England? You really could choose anything else."

"Why did you go to Egypt? Why did you return?" she asked, ignoring his question for a moment.

"I like to travel, to discover new worlds and when I was 17, Egypt seemed like a fairytale. I was fascinated by everything, but I don't miss the sand in my shoes. I returned here because my family needs me. If something happens, I want to be here to fight. I want to be able to protect them, not looking for mummies in pyramids. Mummies can wait."

She giggled. Bill discovered he really loved making her smile or laugh.

"You weren't exactly working with mummies, _Monsieur Weasley_. Fleur said, not breaking the eye contact. "But to answer your previous question, I chose England because I want to improve my English and, also, it wasn't an unknown territory for me. I know it's dangerous and it could become even more dangerous in the near future, but after Cedric's death, I want to be here, to fight. If something happens here and the wizards won't be able to stop it, the rest of Europe will follow, including France. I will still have to fight. I want to be here to protect my sister from a future battle. I saw the articles in the Daily Prophet, but 'Arry isn't a liar, I truly believe him. I think is really silly, but I felt trapped home, I just wanted to be free, so… here I am."

Bill could feel her passion, the fire running through her veins. After all the years with his brothers he knew when someone was hiding something from him.

"You wanted to be free, so you threw yourself in the lion's cage. It's not silly. It's reckless in a pretty noble way. Let's hope that the future isn't so dark."

When they left the small café, Diagon Alley wasn't really crowded. The rain stopped when Fleur returned from Samantha's flat, but it was still cold for a summer afternoon and many wizards and witches decided that it was better to spend that day inside. Fleur didn't have an umbrella, neither did Bill.

He insisted to walk her home — or to Leaky Cauldron in her case. She was planning to move in a few days. She needed to write a letter to her sister and father, because she had some things at home she really wanted, one of them being her white cat.

After that lunch, she felt closer to Bill. He was very interesting and his looks could totally fool everybody. After listening to him talking about his family and his experience in Egypt, Fleur realized he was a good guy, very loyal and he had a big heart. She still believed that he wasn't real.

"I stayed in the Infirmary for three days. My mom was worried sick about me. It was her first time receiving a letter from school."

Bill was telling her the story of his first quidditch game when he had lost his consciousness because he was hit by a Bludger and fell off his broom.

They heard a thunder and in the next second a heavy rainstorm begun, soaking both of them wet. Bill grabbed her hand, starting to run to the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. Fleur blushed, noticing how natural it felt.

They stopped near the door, trying to catch their breath. The eaves of the roof were protecting them from the downpour.

"That was fun." Bill remarked.

They were really close. Her back was pressed against the wall and she could feel his warm breath hitting her forehead and his heart beating. Suddenly, she cupped his face, bringing him closer, and slammed her lips to his.

For a moment, Bill was dumbstruck. He couldn't believe it. The warmth filled his body, nearly knocking all the wind in his lungs. His hand drifted to her waist, pulling her closer. She tangled her fingers in his hair. Bill bitted her lower lip, the shy and slow kiss was becoming more passionate, lustful.

She moaned as his cold hands rested on her waist, under the sweater. That sound sent shivers through his whole body.

They stopped breathless.

Fleur started to place little kisses along his jaw and neck, pressing her cheek against his broad chest.

They remained in that silent hug for a while, neither of them wanting to interrupt the moment. Their heart beats being the only thing they could hear.

"You should go inside before…" Bill whispered in a husky voice.

"Before what?" she asked, teasing him.

"Before we catch a cold." he responded, taking his hands from her waist. "See you tomorrow, Fleur." he smirked, walking away.

After a few seconds, the sound of Bill's Disapparition filled her ears.

 _ **A/N: That's it. - my awful kiss scene- I don't know when I will update the next part because I've school and I want to finish the second chapter of my other fic, but it will be soon, promise.**_ _ **Also, if you have questions or you want to talk or anything else, you can contact me on tumblr. (** the same username **). xx :)**_


	5. Chapter 5

He couldn't think straight, still replaying the kiss in his head when he entered the kitchen from the garden. After kissing Fleur he just knew that he couldn't kiss any other girl for the rest of his life. It was the first time since Hogwarts when he felt sparks, electricity running through his body. He wanted to kiss her again. Senseless. Actually, he wanted more: to feel her body pressed against his, his hands touching her everywhere, hearing the sounds of pleasure in his ears.

"Fred, Billy-boy is here." said one of the twins who were sitting at the kitchen table. His voice brought Bill back to his senses. The twins were dressed in color coordinated outfits: blue t-shirt and green shorts for Fred and the otherwise for George. They were like yin and yang: two different parts of a whole. Their hair was messy and on the table between them were scattered many books, some of advanced potions. An odd smell filled his nostrils. He thought that it wasn't totally unpleasant, but clearly it wasn't the smell of soup.

"Oh, Bill, it's a disaster! We know you want to look different but cherry red doesn't match your skin tone." said the other.

"You should definitely try something darker… sangria, maybe?" George suggested in a very concerned voice.

"What are you two talking about and where is mum?" Bill frowned.

The twins started laughing at his confused expression.

"Mum's at Grimmauld, trying to make the place more… friendly."

"And why aren't you two there helping?" Bill asked, reaching to take a glass from one of the cupboards. He wasn't surprised that Molly was there. In the past weeks, she was spending more time at Grimmauld Place than at the Burrow. The house seemed somehow abandoned without Molly.

"Well, we have our potions project, we can't do it there with that portrait shouting "blood-traitors" and "mudbloods" every minute." George said with an innocent look on his face. "We and Sirius wanted to throw some red paint over the portrait, but mum said we should treat the house with respect."

"Really? _Potion project_? In the middle of the summer? Mum believed you?" Bill chuckled. "What do you two really have in mind?"

"That's strict secret, brother. If we tell you, we will have to kill you. No, I don't think mum believes us, but she's too tired to complain." Fred answered stirring the contents of the small cauldron in the fireplace.

"Merlin, that bloody house is a nightmare. It took me almost one hour and a half to remove all the spider webs and the dust " Ginny said, coming from upstairs, her hair still wet from the shower. Bill noticed how much she had changed. Without the Hogwarts' robes, dressed in a fitting simple white tank top, her silhouette was more feminine and her legs seemed longer in the short pajama bottoms. Bill realized that she was looking more like a teen girl than the little girl he was used to. He was sure that boys will observe the change too this year — but he wasn't worried because Ginny wasn't just like any other girl. She was a Weasley, a really temperamental and fierce one and he knew that she could take care of herself. She was sometimes more ingenious than the twins and more frightening than Molly.

Her eyes stopped on the three redheads at the table, giggling when she saw Bill's appearance and giving him a spoon.

"Billy-boy was just telling us how nice his first kiss was." George replied.

"You should clean that mess before mum returns and starts making wedding plans." Ginny suggested with a grin.

"Like the two of you actually have kissed as many girls as Bill." Ginny continued, rolling her eyes.

Bill studied his reflection in the metal spoon, becoming aware of the lipstick stains all over his lips, neck and jawline.

"Angelina Johnson has the best lips in our year." George remarked.

"And Katie Bell has a nice technique too." Fred gave his twin a high-five. "Also, we had some nice French kisses last year."

"I thought you two had discovered what a french kiss is in your fourth year." Bill teased them, taking a sip of water.

"No, Billy-boy. We are talking about real french kisses from real french girls, the Beauxbatons students." George explained.

Bill tensed a bit.

"They're really hot. Such a shame we couldn't kiss Fleur. I wonder how it feels like to kiss a Veela, or a quarter-Veela witch anyway." Fred confessed while turning a page of a book.

"Maybe devil-gingers aren't her type." Ginny suggested.

"Impossible. We are delicious… devilicious. Everybody finds us attractive, right, Bill? Fred asked, pretending to be offended by his little sister's remark.

"You have no idea."

* * *

 _Last November:_

It was a cold Friday night and the last gryffindors left the common room more than a hour ago. Outside, the heavy rain hit the windows and the lightnings illuminated the sky and the castle's domain. The girl couldn't believe that the room filled with joy and laughs just a few hours ago was quiet. It seemed unnatural, but she knew the high-spirited children were peacefully sleeping in the dormitories above. The fire was barely burning in the fireplace and she could feel the cold sending shivers on her back. She was alone in the shadows, just looking through the window at the dark landscape. She felt lost. The small party in the red common room was a good distraction. She wondered if it was like that every Friday and Saturday: jokes, music, butterbeer, laughs. No surprise why the Gryffindors were so loud, they were a big family and she felt, just for a moment, envious of their freedom, their simple lives without the stress of high expectations, simply enjoying their time spent with their friends.

"We know you're there, blondie." Fred Weasley said, not even bothering to look up from his parchment. She was surprised hearing his voice, but didn't move. They were so silent. Were the boys there the whole time? Probably. She didn't hear the cracks of the staircase. She looked at them over her shoulder.

"Come here, it's warmer and we won't bite you." his twin remarked, studying the girl.

"Not too hard, at least, the other added with a smirk before George slammed a palm over his head.

The girl giggled, finally deciding to move on a couch near the fire. She was dressed in a grey hoodie and a pair of dark jeans and didn't wear any makeup, but she couldn't be mistaken for someone else.

She seemed almost broken, crushed under her thoughts and under the pressure of the first task approaching. In that moment, George was thinking that she looked more human and less Veela, which wasn't a bad thing.

"The _dragons_ are giving Charlie a really bad headache. He was really nervous at lunch today. Did you notice, Fred?" George continued, pretending to ignore the witch.

"You don't seem surprised to hear about dragons, _mademoiselle_." Fred said, finally looking in her dark blue eyes. " We know Hagrid had told your Headmistress and then she told you. Everyone in the competition knows, at this moment, the first challenge. Are you nervous about it, Fleur?"

She watched the pieces of wood slowly burning, trying not to burst into tears in front of the two gryffindors. She was silent for awhile, the only sounds in the room were their breathing and the pouring rain still hitting the windows of the tower.

"I am terrified." she whispered. "I do not know what to do. I never thought I would be chosen."

George noticed her voice was beautiful, but her french accent was very strong and her English a little bit too formal.

"First step: relax. You're going to find a way to deal with the enormous lizard. Let's talk about something else." he proposed, smiling.

"About what?" Fleur asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, why are you in our common room?" You're here since eight o'clock and now it's almost three in the morning. Were the Ravenclaws thinking too loud?" Fred smirked.

She laughed and her body wasn't as tense as before.

" _Non_ , or should I say yes? They're really nice and intelligent and there's a nice atmosphere but sometimes… it's just overwhelming. They can be… erm… "

"Annoying? Very nerdy? Not friendly? Bossy? Boring?" George interrupted her.

" _Oui."_ Fleur chuckled. "We share the table in the Great Hall and stay in their common room to socialize, but it was so quiet today and I wanted to see how the others spend their Fridays and I sneaked in with some first years after dinner. Nobody recognized _moi_ without _mes_ blue robes and I sat in the corner, just watching."

"We saw you when you came through the portrait, but we didn't say anything because if you wanted the attention, you'd've entered the room proudly. Also, at first we're thinking you're here to spy on Potter."

"And you're keeping me under observation?" she asked.

"Exactly."

"What is that?" It does not look like homework." She said, pointing to the papers on the table.

"That's because it is not homework. It's a plan" George explained.

"A plan? For what?" she asked.

"A welcome gift for our new colleagues from Durmstrang."

She studied the papers carefully, reading every detail. She had to admit that the plan was brilliant, but some things could be improved.

"The Durmstrang students are not staying in the Slytherin dormitories. Neither do we. We have special rooms arranged near the houses but we don't share the dormitories. It would be too crowded." Fleur explained as she took a pencil and draw a mark not far from the entrance to the slytherin's common room. "You enter the first corridor on the left near the slytherin entrance. There are many statutes. You stop in the front of the fifth, it's a small old witch. She is holding a torch and you pull it towards yourself. That's how you get in the Durmstrang dormitories."

"How do you know that?" the twins asked both impressed.

"I have a lot of free time." Fleur answered smirking.

The following day while she was having dinner in the Great Hall she received a paper airplane. She opened it and saw a few words written on it:

" _The password is: friendship. You don't have to sneak in our common room."_

She looked to the Gryffindor table and smiled at the two guys with gingers hair.

Fleur didn't know why she remembered the first night of her friendship with Fred and George Weasley. It was a bittersweet memory and then the realization hit her again. She had kissed their older brother.

 _Stupid little Fleur, why did you do such a thing?_

Her move was reckless and dumb, but the kiss was totally worth it. She could still feel his soft lips and his hands on her back. She let out a heavy sigh. She was so worried about Bill, because she knew she crossed the line in their friendship. She was prepared for the worst: Bill not talking to her anymore saying that he can't have a relationship with a girl whose age was the same as his younger brothers. A part of herself hoped that it won't be true because she had seen in the past couples with bigger age gaps than seven years.

She didn't see Bill that day and it was already late afternoon. It was true that she was afraid and hid in her office most of the day until one of the goblins said they needed her at the front counter.

" _I had fought a dragon and mermaids and ran for my life in a maze. I think I can handle Bill Weasley._ " she thought.

Fleur spotted him. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt, jeans and combat boots. Her knees got weak and she put a hand on the desk just in case her legs decided to betray her.

He stopped in front of her, crossing his arms on the wooden counter between them and leaned forward, their faces almost touching.

"Bill… I'm sorry for yesterday…I don't want you to be mad at me…" She started, looking at her hands, trying to avoid eye contact.

Bill blinked in surprise.

"Why do you think I'm mad at you?" She looked at him. "Look, Fleur, I really like you and I think you like me too. I don't how you do things in France here we don't kiss our co-workers like that without wanting more."

She laughed. She loved his blunt honesty.

"Would you like to go on a date with me? A proper one?" he asked.

"I would love that." Fleur said, brushing her lips softly against his, before a bright light blinded them for a moment.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Thank you for your lovely reviews! I want to develop Fleur's character and I plan to do more flashbacks in the next chapters, mostly her year at Hogwarts.**_ _ **The action takes place in August before Order of the Phoenix and things are still good, but I'll slowly start to introduce some "unpleasant" elements. xx :)**_


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